The Magic of Christmas comes to us year after year. But, for those behind the sparkle of Christmas, the planning isn’t always so easy. This delightful presentation is a special behind-the-scenes peek at the hustle and bustle and near disasters of the Christmas season. Catch these close-call Christmas catastrophes written by children and brought to life by Child’s Play Touring Theatre.

Audience: All ages 

Dinky the Dancing Reindeer

Marci Eichelberger, Grade 5

Dinky the reindeer is a dancing dynamo! Unfortunately, her dance class conflicts with sleigh rehearsal. She is late for sleigh practice and has trouble keeping in step with the other reindeer. The mishaps escalate, as well as Santa’s suspicions. He orders Dinky into his office where she dazzles him with her dancing and finds an answer to her scheduling woes.

How Santa Got Well

Emily Butcher, Grade 5

“P.S., you are our only hope!” is Johnny’s desperate Christmas message to Santa. This note compels Santa to get out of his sick bed. He is terribly ill from accidentally taking Rudolph’s medicine instead of his own. But “Pillius Mixiupius” doesn't keep Santa from answering Johnny’s request for food. Santa’s amazing efforts are rewarded with a huge hug from Johnny, which is all the medicine Santa needs and Christmas is saved in the nick of time!

Santa and the Witch

Missy Diskin, Grade 2

A mean witch looking for peace and quiet, moves to the North Pole, only to find herself right in the middle of Santa’s crazy Christmas preparations. She hates all of the singing and the happy bustle. She casts a sleeping spell on Santa to end Christmas for one hundred years. Now, only with the help of the children in the audience can the elves make the witch change her mind about Christmas before it’s too late.

Child’s Play Touring Theatre

Child’s Play Touring Theatre is a national touring theatre company dedicated exclusively to performing stories and poems written by children.  By combining children’s imagination with the artistry of adult professional actors and musicians, Child’s Play has created one of the most innovative children’s theatres in the country.  According to the Chicago Tribune, “Child’s Play’s enthusiasm for their work is so infectious it’s hard to tell who is having more fun – the actors or the children.”

Since 1978, Child’s Play has toured to 36 states from Alaska to Florida.  The company has reached an audience over 4 and a half million and has performed in such prestigious venues as The Goodman Theatre, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Tribeca Performing Arts Center, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Smithsonian Institute, Annenberg Center, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Wolftrap Performing Arts Park and the Anchorage Performing Arts Center.

The mission of Child’s Play is to share, encourage and validate the creativity of children by presenting original works of theatre, music and dance adapted from stories and poems written by young authors.  Child’s Play is able to carry out its mission thanks to the generous support of the following: Alphawood Foundation; Charles Schwartz Foundation; the City of Chicago – Department of Cultural Affairs; the Office of Cook County State’s Attorney; the Illinois Arts Council – a State Agency; Kraft Foods; Marshall Field’s; McDonald’s; Morse Charitable Trust; National Endowment for the Arts; Polk Bros. Foundation; Walter and Caroline Sueske Trust; Woods Foundation; and WNUA Cares for Kids Charities.